Westbury apartment-hotel complex earns zoning approval

The Hempstead Town Board on Tuesday unanimously approved a zoning change that would make way for a $60 million, 195-unit apartment-hotel complex at the former Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury.

The board voted 7-0 to change the zoning from industrial to cluster residential housing, which will allow the construction of the development — The Portofino — near Zeckendorf Boulevard and Corporate Drive, near the Roosevelt Field mall.

“I am gratified that the Town of Hempstead has given me the opportunity to share my vision to further enhance the area and bring quality residential options for people in Nassau County who need it,” Michael Dubb, principal of the Jericho-based Beechwood Organization, which is spearheading the development, said in a phone interview Wednesday.

The proposed six-floor apartment hotel will sit on 5-1/2 acres and comprise 68 one- and two-bedroom hotel suites. It is also expected to have 127 long-term rental apartments, of which 71 would be one-bedroom and 56 two-bedrooms.

The Portofino will be accompanied by a 2,000-square-foot, 50-seat restaurant and 3,000-square-foot fitness center, as well as a soccer field dedicated to the town as parkland.

The project is expected to generate about $2.8 million a year in tax revenue for the town. Construction of the project could begin early next year, Dubb said.